Ecuador ex-president convicted of corruption

Ecuadoran court convicted ex-president Lenin Moreno of accepting bribes from China's Sinohydro, the company that built the country's largest hydroelectric dam. Moreno, who served as vice-president during Rafael Correa's presidency from 2007 to 2013, was one of four individuals found guilty in the case. The court in Quito has yet to sentence Moreno, who remains free pending his sentencing.

Prosecutors requested a six-and-a-half-year prison term for Moreno. Refusing to admit any wrongdoing, Moreno claimed he had never received any money from Sinohydro and blamed the case on the Correa regime. Sinohydro allegedly paid bribes totaling $76 million, which is approximately four percent of the hydroelectric project's cost.

Three other Ecuadoran nationals, including two former power plant managers, were also convicted in connection to the case. Around 20 people, including Moreno's family members, businesspeople, and a former Chinese ambassador to Quito, have been implicated in the investigation.